Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Effect of pre-cooling on the postharvest of parsley leaves

Author(s):

Virgínia S. Álvares, Fernando L. Finger ^*, Raul C. de A. Santos, Jacson R. da Silva Negreiros, Vicente W. D. Casali

Recieved Date: 2007-01-09, Accepted Date: 2007-04-07

Abstract:

The objective of this work was to determine the effects of a hydrocooling procedure, followed by storage at 5^oC, on the shelf life of parsley cv. Graúda Portuguesa leaves. Bunches of parsley leaves were pre-cooled for fifteen minutes in a water and ice mixture kept at 5^oC. During this period of pre- cooling, close to 43% of the initial field heat was removed from the leaves. After the pre-cooling treatment, the leaf bunches were placed at 5^oC for 7 days. A control treatment was made up of bunches of parsley leaves that were also stored at 5^oC for 7 days without being pre-cooled. The hydrocooling procedure reduced the loss of fresh weight from the leaves in the first twelve hours of storage and maintained the relative water content (RWC) at a high level even after seven days of storage at 5^oC. Visual wilting of leaves was observed when approximately 10% of the initial fresh weight was lost, which was achieved 30 hours after harvest for the control and 42 hours for the pre-cooled bunches. During storage, no significant alterations of the leaf chlorophyll, total soluble sugar and non-reducing sugars or starch contents were detected. However, the reducing sugars content increased at a rate of 2.62 g kg^-1 leaf dry weight per day, corresponding to a 4.1-fold increase in 144 hours. Based on the data, we recommend pre-cooling as an efficient method to retard the beginning of wilt for stored parsley leaves.

Keywords:

Petroselinum crispum, weight loss, relative water content, chlorophyll, carbohydrates

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2007
Volume: 5
Issue: 2
Category: Food and Health
Pages: 31-34

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :